The School of Rock

Overly enthusiastic guitarist Dewey Finn (Jack Black) gets thrown out of his bar band and finds himself in desperate need of work. Posing as a substitute music teacher at an elite private elementary school, he exposes his students to the hard rock gods he idolizes and emulates -- much to the consternation of the uptight principal (Joan Cusack). As he gets his privileged and precocious charges in touch with their inner rock 'n' roll animals, he imagines redemption at a local Battle of the Bands.

The School of Rock

Parental Guide

Standout Jack Black in nerds-become-cool comedy.

Consumerism

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Drinking, drugs, & smoking

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Language

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Positive messages

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Positive role models

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Sex

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Violence

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Parents need to know that School of Rock is as much a vehicle for Jack Black to make rock 'n' roll faces while playing guitar as it is hilarious fun for musicians and music fans of all ages -- even younger than the PG-13 rating would suggest. There is occasional profanity -- some of it spoken by 10-year-olds -- and Black's character freely discusses his hangovers with the class he's teaching. There are brief shots of adult characters drinking and smoking (this is about playing rock 'n' roll, after all), but nothing terribly gratuitous. Beyond this, School of Rock is an enjoyable way for kids to learn about music, and for families to talk about the amount of work and personal satisfaction that results in starting a band. Furthermore, the film addresses body issues in a positive way when one of the girls in class is afraid to sing because she thinks she's "too fat."